214 ^^^^ Course^ the Camp, the Chase 



diamond pin, to commemorate some of the victories of 

 " Plenipo," and as I usually wore it at race meetings, it 

 came to be known as " Plenipo's Pin." One day I went 

 into a shop in Seville to buy a necktie, and rather foolishly 

 took off the one I was wearing — in which was the pin — 

 and placed it on the counter while putting on the other 

 tie before a pier-glass. On turning round T was surprised 

 to see the shopkeeper rapidly rolling up a piece of paper, 

 which he held out to me, saying that was the tie I had 

 just taken off. 



Something in the celerity of his motions excited my 

 suspicions, and caused me to undo the paper parcel, when 

 it was at once evident that though the tie was undoubtedly 

 there, the pin was gone. 



On demanding where the pin was, the man affected 

 not to understand me. " Did the senor want a pin ? 

 Here was one, white, black, long, short. What did the 

 sehor want ? " My Spanish did not carry me very far, so 

 the interpreter of the hotel was sent for, and quickly came. 

 Most indignant were the shop-people at being supposed to 

 have stolen the pin, and the man who served me stoutly 

 declared that I was not wearing one at all when I entered 

 the shop. Then the police were sent for. The shopman 

 pretended to look everywhere for the pin, and then sud- 

 denly striking me a sharp blow on the shoulder, held up 

 the pin, and declared he had just found it sticking there. 

 The police at once seized the pin, and declared that as it 

 was stolen property, it must now remain with them, and 

 the shopkeeper then entered a charge against me for 

 stealing my own pin ! There was no help for it but to 

 appeal to the English Consul for redress, and the case had 

 to come before the Alcaldes. In Seville there are four 



